Page 17 of Never Fall for a Highlander

He needed liquid, so she would have to wake him and get him to drink.She poured some of the water from the jug into a mug and set it on the small table next to the bed.She shook him lightly.

Nothing.

She tried again.

Nothing.

The next time she shook him with more strength and he opened his eyes.“Stop that!”

Helena sighed.“Ye must wake up and drink, my laird.”

He closed his eyes.“Nay.Just let me sleep.”

“Nay.”She picked up the mug of ale and placed her other hand under his head and lifted it.“Ye must drink, Laird.”

He opened one eye and stared at her.“Ye are no’ going to leave me alone, are ye?”

She smiled.“Nay.I’m a stubborn woman.”

He took a few sips and then rolled his head to the side so he escaped her hand.She didn’t give up but slid her hand under his head again and placed the mug to his lips.“Ye must drink.”

He took a few sips and when he tried the trick of rolling his head again, she was ready for him, and had cupped his face with her hand so he couldn’t do it.

“No’ only stubborn, but clever,” he said, with a slight grin.

“If ye drink at least half of the ale in the mug, I will let ye be and ye can sleep.”

He studied her until she began to feel itchy.His deep green eyes mesmerized her and set off little twitches in her stomach.“How about if I finish half the mug, I get to kiss ye?”

That had been totally unexpected, and she relegated that question to a man suffering with a fever.“I believe allowing ye to sleep after ye drink the ale is a better idea.”

He sipped more of the ale, his eyes never leaving hers.She attributed his actions and unusual request to his fever and was certain once he recovered he wouldna remember it.

“I’ll remember,” he said, almost as if he’d read her mind.Then he winked!

She removed the cup when he moved his head away.She looked into the mug and it was more than halfway finished.“Verra good, my laird.”

“Now I can sleep, lass?”

“Aye.”

“Or would ye prefer if I kissed ye?”

She shook her head, smiling at him.He was certainly a flatterer and probably used that charm and handsome face on all the women.‘Twas best to remember she was here for only a few months and he was a laird who would seek a wife for alliances.And she was no’ the woman for a hop in the bed.

Within minutes a slight snore came from him, and she closed her eyes once again.

Moaning and thrashing woke her sometime later.She had no idea she’d fallen asleep, but her neck confirmed it.She could barely move it.Her patient was tossing and turning in the bed, his body covered with sweat.

The fever had broken.

Trying to stretch her muscles out, she pushed the damp cover off the laird and unwrapped the bandage covering his wound.Happy to see no foulness coming from the cut, she cleaned it, covered it with honey again and wrapped it up.

“Helena, is that ye?”The laird’s dry throat and glazed eyes confirmed his sickly state.

“Aye.‘Tis me.I will go to the kitchen and get more water and cloths to wipe ye down.‘Twill make ye more comfortable.”

He nodded and closed his eyes.